LAWRENCEBURG – A 27-year-old Oldham County man led Lawrenceburg city police officers on a high-speed chase across Shelby County and two other counties on Tuesday afternoon after the man allegedly was found to be trafficking heroin in Anderson County.

Shelby County Detention Center

Ahmad Ghazawi

Meaghan Downs

Lawrenceburg police recovered about 14 grams of heroin, valued at about $5,600 total, after an Oldham County man allegedly dumped the drugs near the railroad tracks in Lawrenceburg. Police pursued 27-year-old Ahmad M. Ghazawi for about 33 miles across three counties.

When city police in marked patrol cars attempted to conduct a traffic stop on North Main Street near the Anderson Public Library, Cornish and Schell said, officers witnessed Ghazawi dumping two baggies of heroin before fleeing in a vehicle.

Police have recovered about 14 grams of heroin valued at roughly $5,600, according to Cornish.

The investigation into Ghazawi's alleged trafficking activities had been ongoing, Cornish said. According to Cornish, Ghazawi is allegedly one of the major suppliers of heroin in Anderson.

"This guy has been a major problem in Lawrenceburg with heroin," Cornish said.

Lawrenceburg officers pursued Ghazawi about 33 miles from Anderson into Franklin County and on Interstate 64 in Shelby County before Ghazawi stopped his vehicle at about Mile Marker 24 in Shelby County.

No one was injured in the pursuit, police said, and no property was damaged.

Although police received reports that Ghazawi was armed, no weapon was found in the vehicle Ghazawi was driving, Schell said.

Schell added that the city police's investigation into the incident is still active.

Ghazawi was arrested and faces charges that could include trafficking, first-degree fleeing and evading police, and tampering with evidence, Schell and Cornish said.

Sgt. Chris Beach, Officer Sean Wells and Officer Nathan Doty responded to the incident, along with assistance from the Anderson County Sheriff's Office, Kentucky State Police and the Shelby County Sheriff's Office.